Hyundai Has New Recipe For NCAA Sponsorship

Hyundai is returning for its fourth year as NCAA college football sponsor with an integrated campaign touting the brand’s car lineup. The effort also has a strong regional focus
around the 17 college football programs it sponsors through IMG College. The campaign -- comprising TV, print, radio, digital, and social media -- also brings in Santa Monica, Calif.-based YouTube and
social food network Tastemade, adding spice to an experiential component at each of the schools it sponsors.

The campaign, via Innocean U.S.A, Hyundai's agency of
record, includes a national TV spot and a raft of regional ads to air in college markets where Hyundai-sponsored teams are located. The national spot, “Hands,” examines fans’ hand signals representing their teams, with footage of fans in stadiums making the hand
signals (like University of Texas' “hook 'em” sign) culminating in the "number one" sign for winners. The spots air during the 18 SEC on CBS national games.

At schools like Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Ohio State, Penn State, UCLA, USC and Wisconsin, Hyundai will have a grassroots program comprising some 114 events, via Advantage International.
They center on a "Hyundai Fieldhouse" experience at games like Auburn vs. Alabama, Oregon vs. Stanford, Penn State vs. Ohio State, and USC vs. Arizona State. The 2,400-square-foot setup has TVs,
lounge seating and appearances by college notables. Hyundai will also have its lineup of cars at the events with a focus on a modified Santa Fe crossover, the 2015 Sonata, and Tucson Fuel Cell
car, which will be featured at California games.

The regional team-sponsorship arrangement includes Tastemade making a 13-episode “Grill Iron” series on YouTube about
each schools' epicurean habits around football. At the grassroots game-venue Hyundai Fieldhouse events at featured games, Tastemade will have local chefs doing cooking demos in a "Tastemade Kitchen."
At the end of the regular season, Hyundai will host a cookoff in Los Angeles with the season’s best chef selected by the viewing audience at Tastemade’s studio.

Hyundai says it is also continuing sponsorship of the Hyundai Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas on Dec. 27.